Proposal: Post-16 Transport Services

We are considering making the following changes to the Post-16 Transport service:

to focus on Hampshire County Council’s resources on those most in need, by amending the eligibility criteria for Post-16 transport assistance so that the County Council would only assist with travel for Post-16 students with special educational needs or a disability, and who are from a low-income family
to make Post-16 Transport provision more sustainable in the long-term by requiring all families of students who receive County Council-provided Post-16 transport assistance to contribute to the costs of transport for their child
to support SEND students to develop their independent travel skills by introducing mandatory Independent Travel Training (ITT) for some Post-16 students
to make Post-16 Transport provision more sustainable in the long-term by requiring parents/carers/responsible adults to act as a Passenger Assistant where it is reasonable for them to do so

What is the current situation?

There is no automatic entitlement to free school or college transport once a student is over 16. The County Council currently assists with travel expenses for Post-16 students with special educational needs or a disability (SEND). This service currently costs over £5.4 million a year, at an average cost per student of over £12,000. Therefore, a parental contribution towards the cost of this transport is required, and the contribution is uplifted annually by the March Consumer Price Index (CPI). This contribution is currently not required for students from low-income families.

Families are defined as having a low income when the student’s parents are in receipt of any of the following:

Income Support
income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
income-related Employment and Support Allowance
support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
the guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
Universal Credit
free school meals (due to low income)

Currently, transport applications are normally only considered if the student has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or if the student has a disability which means they require transport arrangements to be provided. The student or parent needs to apply for transport and provide evidence that without County Council transport assistance, the student would be unable to attend the educational placement.

When assessing an application for Post-16 transport assistance, the County Council considers the criteria as detailed in the latest Post-16 Transport Policy. A new application is needed for Post-16 transport assistance every year as the policy statement is reviewed annually.

In some circumstances, where it is necessary for the student’s safety or wellbeing, the County Council arranges for Passenger Assistants (PAs) to accompany students on transport. Where PAs are used, these are supplied by either the County Council or transport operators.

Exceptional cases and the right to appeal

There is an existing mechanism in place for the School Transport Service to consider whether in exceptional cases transport can be granted as an exception to policy. There is also a statutory right to appeal for any family who wishes to challenge a transport entitlement decision. This right of appeal covers decisions on whether a child is entitled to transport, and on the form of assistance offered.

What is being proposed?

We are proposing to make changes to the current Post-16 Transport service, specifically to:

focus the County Council’s resources on those most in need
We propose to amend the eligibility criteria for Post-16 transport assistance so that the County Council would only assist with travel for Post-16 students with special educational needs or a disability, and who are from a low-income family.
make Post-16 Transport provision more sustainable in the long-term
We will do this by requiring all families of students who receive County Council-provided Post-16 transport assistance to contribute to the costs of transport for their child. This change would mean that all users/families would need to pay a parental contribution towards the service. Low-income families, who have previously not been required to make the contribution, would be required to make a contribution of approximately 15% of the average cost of Post-16 transport. Many local authorities, including Dorset County Council, Staffordshire County Council and Derbyshire County Council, already require a contribution from low-income families.
The actual contributions would depend on the most up to date average cost of Post-16 transport.
support SEND students to develop their independent travel skills
We propose to introduce mandatory Independent Travel Training (ITT) for some Post-16 students. Applications for Post-16 students would be considered on the basis that Independent Travel Training could be a mandatory component of the transport offer.
make Post-16 Transport provision more sustainable in the long-term
We would require parents/carers/responsible adults to act as a Passenger Assistant where it is reasonable for them to do so. The County Council expects that parents and carers take responsibility for facilitating their child’s attendance in education where they are able to do so, which would include acting as a Passenger Assistant unless it can be evidenced that it is not reasonable to expect them to do so.

Reason for this proposal

Until a sustainable long-term national funding solution can be found to address the intense financial pressures facing not only Hampshire County Council, but also wider local government, the County Council has no choice but to consider changing or reducing services in some areas and propose options for savings.

It is anticipated that these changes would eventually contribute around £2.55 million per year towards addressing the County Council’s overall anticipated remaining £97.6 million budget deficit from April 2025.

The County Council has discretion around how it delivers Post-16 transport services. County Councils are required to consider both the need for students to access their education provision and the resources available when determining the Post-16 transport offer.

It is expected that amending the criteria used to consider eligibility for Post-16 transport assistance would reduce demand for Post-16 transport services by 25%, whilst still offering assistance to those students with SEND and low income who satisfy the requirements set out in the Post-16 Policy
Parental contributions would help to cover a proportion of the actual cost of transport, reducing the amount that is funded by the County Council
Independent Travel Training helps to develop independence for students who may be able to travel more independently. For many children and young people, learning to travel independently is an important part of preparing for adulthood and would help them lead fulfilling adult lives. If implemented, this would also potentially see some students move from less to more cost-effective modes of transport.
Parents acting as a Passenger Assistant (PA) would help to reduce the cost of supplying PAs, including pick-ups/drop-offs from different locations

Hampshire County Council also has a duty to promote the use of sustainable travel. For journeys to schools and colleges this could include increasing the number of shared vehicles leading to fewer vehicles being needed.

How would the proposal be implemented?

If this proposal is agreed, the Post-16 transport application would ask parents to provide evidence (e.g. Universal Credit entitlement letters) that the family is on a low income. If they are not on a low income, Post-16 transport would be declined. For those students who are eligible, a parental contribution would be required.

A student’s suitability for Independent Travel Training (ITT) would be assessed on application. Some students will never be able to travel independently, in these cases there would be no requirement for ITT. For other Post-16 students whose independence skills would be enhanced by ITT, this would form a mandatory component of the transport offer.

Where support from a Passenger Assistant (PA) is necessary for the student’s safety or wellbeing, parents would accompany their child and perform the PA role unless they can provide evidence that it is unreasonable for them to do so. Evidence that would be considered could include, but is not limited to, an employer letter regarding working arrangements or a letter from a medical practitioner.

The changes to the Post-16 Transport service would apply to transport arrangements from September 2026. This would mean that any applications for transport assistance that would commence during the 2026/27 school year (or later) would follow the revised criteria and contributions and would be subject to the new approach to Independent Travel Training and parental passenger assistance. The date that applications open for 2026/27 is still to be confirmed but is likely to be March 2026.

As per Department for Education guidance, the County Council would always retain the ability to award transport outside of policy in exceptional circumstances.

As per current policy, a new application is needed for Post-16 transport assistance every year as the policy statement is reviewed annually. If approved, these changes would apply to new applications covered by the Post-16 Policy for the 2026/27 academic year.

The proposed policy wording can be found in Appendix A of the Information Pack.

You can also view the latest Post-16 Transport Policy.

Potential impacts

Students with SEND and their families

The proposed changes would impact students living in the county who have special educational needs or a disability and are over the age of 16. Sixth form aged students with SEND could face additional challenges if their transport assistance is reduced.

It is recognised that some families of students with SEND may have a more limited income than other families, as one parent may have needed to reduce working hours or stop working to provide care. This would make it harder for them to afford any potential additional transport costs.

Students with disabilities may require specialised transport, such as wheelchair-accessible vehicles, or those with specific safety features. Reducing transport assistance could reduce access to these services and would require parents of students with SEND to spend time sourcing an alternative option.

Parents who would accompany their child on transport could be placed under additional strain, especially if they have other children or work commitments.

The above issues could make it more difficult for students with SEND to attend Post-16 education regularly and on time, which could impact their education. This could be exacerbated by the fact that students with SEND may need to travel further than other students to attend specialised schools or courses.

Students and families with low income

Families just above the low-income threshold could struggle to afford Post-16 transport costs. Students from these families could face difficulties attending Post-16 education regularly, impacting their education.

Rurality

Students/families in rural areas could be disproportionately affected by these changes. Rural areas are more likely to have limited public transport options, making it difficult for students who are able to use this type of transport to find alternative means of travel. Students in rural areas typically travel longer distances to reach their school or college, increasing the reliance on provided transport services. In addition, the cost of alternative transport options, such as private hire, can be significantly higher in rural areas.

Longer distances also mean that the amount parents have to pay towards school transport is often higher for people in rural areas.

Students from lower income families in rural areas may become more isolated if they are unable to afford transport to Post-16 education.

Potential mitigations

The County Council has identified that we can potentially mitigate these impacts by:

providing clear information about alternative transport options including assistance offered by schools and colleges, and partnering with local businesses where possible to offer discounted transport services for students
considering to offer flexible payment plans to eligible students and their families in some circumstances to help manage the cost of school transport
providing clear guidance and clarification on scenarios where a parent would not be required to act as a Passenger Assistant as part of the policy
offering Independent Travel Training so that students are fully prepared to access public transport and develop a key life skill

Exceptional cases and the right to appeal

What are the alternatives?

There are other approaches that we could take that are not proposed at this time. In developing this proposal, we have also considered maintaining current arrangements, eligibility criteria and contributions for Post-16 transport assistance.

This option is not being proposed because of the scale of the budget pressures faced by the County Council, and the legal requirement to operate within budget.

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